Don't Tell Me
by KatieTaylor
Summary: Mick learns that someone’s been keeping a secret…


**Works for me. Purple?? Purple and red clash dummy. oh well...****  
**  
Justine MacDonald

Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:37:30 -0700  
From:  
Subject: The Fic  
To:

DON'T TELL ME

(StrawberryBisque Collaboration)

AUTHOR: Cprav and StrawberryBisque, Story by StrawberryBisque

WRITTEN: 30 September 2008

WORDS: 3365

RATING: PG-13

GENRE: MickBeth, JoBe

SUMMARY: Mick learns that someone's been keeping a secret…

DISCLAIMER: We do not own Moonlight. But thank you for letting us play in your sandbox.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: One day I was playing around on YouTube and came across StrawberryBisque's fanvids. SB is an amazing storyteller! I don't understand how she does it. We started chatting and came up with the idea of having fics written to expand a bit on her stories. I used her outline that she provided with the video as well as some extra thoughts on that she sent me and came up with this. A few tiny Moonlight details have been changed in order to make my muse and her video mesh. 

Here is the link to the video. Watch it now as a trailer, or after, but watch it! And comment on it! Please let us know if you like our little collaboration. If so, expect more in the future!

url/watch?vYVLW0tCZuwA/url

XXX

Mick stood on the balcony, leaning on the ledge and looked out over the city below, but he didn't see any of it. All he saw were flashes of the last few months; of the happiest months he'd had since becoming a vampire. Flashes of his time with Beth. The moment he saw her walking through that fountain to photograph a dead body. The taste of her blood in his mouth as he lay dying in the desert. The feel of her body pressed against his when he held her. The smell of her tears; the sound of her laugh.

But things are different now. The music of her laugh is rarely heard. He can feel the tension in her body when she's in his arms and while her beautiful blues eyes still hold the fire he loves so, they don't meet his nearly as much as they once did. The last time he had been able to stare into her cerulean depths had been over two weeks ago. He remembered as clear as if it had just happened.

She had been sitting on his couch, work intently on her laptop. He sat across from her in one of the brown leather chairs, just watching her for hours; taking in everything about her – her scent, her brow furrowed in concentration, the way she muttered to herself as she got more engrossed in her work, piecing the story together. He was quite content to watch her until the end of time if he could. He could never tire of her. Then her brow furrowed more and she turned her attention from the computer to rifle through a stack of papers. As she did so, her tongue peeked out of the corner of her mouth just a bit, and all Mick could think about had been earlier in the morning when he'd opened his door to let her into his office and she'd greeting him with a kiss, her tongue immediately tracing her lips until he allowed her entry.

It had given him the sudden urge to relive the moment. He'd made his way to her side and took her hand to pull her up to him. Jumping at his touch, her eyes had shot to his, filled with shock. Taken aback by the look on her face, he'd stared at her for a moment, then took her other hand.

"Beth, what's wrong? She had looked at him for another long moment, then put a smile on her face, that didn't quit reach her eyes before answering.

"Nothing, Mick. I'm fine, just a bit tired from working on this story."

Staring out over the city now, he remembers how he had some nagging doubt in the back of his mind – telling him that it was something much worse than that. But he couldn't listen to them; didn't want to listen to them. Even now those same doubts nagged at him. Every time he saw Beth he wanted to ask again but couldn't bring himself to. Finally he went to Josef.

His friend had flashed him that impish grin, and told him everything would be fine. There was something about the look in his eyes; how he was so intent on calming his worries. It made Mick suspicious that perhaps his friend knew more than he was saying; that maybe Josef was even involved. Mick tried to banish that thought. It was bad enough to suspect Beth but the thought that Beth and Josef were... NO! That was an unbearable thought. He tried to get Beth to open up to him again and again, and his constant questioning was putting a strain on their relationship. Finally he had decided that perhaps it was best if she didn't tell him. Maybe he really didn't want to know. Everything had been find until he'd started questioning her. If he could just get past that, enjoy what he had, things would get back to the way things were; back to normal.

Today…today it had been undeniable – even to his senses, blinded by his love for her. They'd gone to Josef's to get his input on a case they'd both been working on. Mick strode into his office with Beth on his arm. They'd been doing much better in the last couple of days. He had tried to put his worries behind him and enjoy his time with Beth. As they walked into Josef's office, he stood to greet them as usual. But when his eyes landed on Beth, he couldn't seem to look away. Mick followed his gaze to Beth and saw her returning Josef's look, as if sharing some unspoken words. Though it was only seconds, it seemed like hours before Josef shook the look off and continued on with business as usual, finally realizing whom she was with.

Mick had tried to continue on as well, but although they'd both finally found their poker faces, he WAS a vampire and even Josef, with his 400 years of control couldn't hide the tell tale signs of his attraction to her, and Beth had absolutely no hope of controlling how her heart rate sped up when Josef was close, or the smell of her arousal when he looked at her or brushed her hand.

Mick is pulled away from his thoughts as he senses Beth make her way through his apartment and to his side on the balcony. They look at each other for a few moments before finally speaking.

"Beth, why won't you tell me what's going on?" She smiles at him and reaches a hand to his face.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mick."

"I know something is going on. It all became clear to me today. Vampire, remember? I know you and Josef are hiding something, why won't you just tell me?" His hand drops back to her side and she can't meet his eyes.

"Mick, I really don't know what to tell you. I love you." She kisses his cheek. Why won't she learn that she can't hide anything from him, he wonders to himself.

He looks down at her face for another moment, giving her one last chance to come clean. But she just looks at him with those beautiful eyes and holds her ground. He closes his eyes to her lies and turns away from her, walking inside. She's left standing there, worried that Mick will find out the truth and that she will lose him.

XXX

How does one choose between the two people you love more than life itself – your brother and your lover?

Mick sits at his desk staring at a spot on his office wall and not concentrating on the case before him. How can he when everything seems to be falling apart around him? He's cursed being a vampire for so long but never more than now. A human may have been able to put the look Josef and his Beth shared aside. A human never would have been able to pick up the other subtle cues. He could have continued on in blissful ignorance.

But he can't anymore.

He's broken from his thoughts when Josef clears his throat. Somehow Mick had missed his scent as he walked down the hall towards his office; the sound of his footsteps and the door opening. He swallows a curse and looks up to his friend who can't hide the twinkle of mirth in his eyes or the smirk as he gracefully lowers himself into the plush red couch opposite Mick's desk.

"Josef."

"Mick, buddy, you're losing your touch! I could have cleaned this entire place out if I wanted and you never would have noticed. Not very becoming of a Private Investigator." Mick watches him for a moment, trying to talk himself out of his suspicions, but he can't. He needs to know.

"Something's up with Beth." He watches Josef carefully but this time he gives nothing away.

"Really? Hmm. Perhaps she's tired. She is only human after all, my friend. Maybe you're wearing her out." His smirk seems to grow and Mick's eyes narrow.

"No Josef, she's hiding something from me. You wouldn't happen to know what that is, do you?"

"Mick, she's your human. How would I know what's inside that pretty blonde head of hers?" There's just a shift of eyes, tiny twitch of lips as Josef says those words. Never noticeable to a human, but they scream at Mick like a flashing neon sign.

Josef is lying to him.

XXX

Josef looks up from the monotony of paperwork as a familiar scent floats into the room. He smiles as Beth emerges from the hallway and quickly crosses the room to meet her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in for a kiss. She returns it eagerly, but only for a moment before turning away.

"Beth, what's wrong?" She hesitates for a moment, taking a deep breath, and then turns back to him.

"Mick is starting to suspect us." At that, Josef turns and paces his office a few times before turning back to her.

"I know. He asked me about it, too. Did you tell him? Do you want to tell him?"

"Of course not!"

"Well, maybe we should," he says, looking straight into her eyes. "Or do you like sneaking around?"

"Josef, no!"

"Well, then you must not care about him like I thought you did. The last person to do this to him was Coraline. I thought you were better than that." Beth looks at him, shocked. She opens her mouth to speak, but can't form words; nor can she stop the tears from flowing. He scowls at himself, and pulls her to him, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her hair. "Beth, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it – you're nothing like her. I just…"

"I know, Josef, but we can't tell him. It would kill him to know that, and I can't lose him. I love you, but he's still my guardian angel. I need him in my life." Josef nods.

"So do I. He's been my best friend for almost 50 years. After all he's been through, he deserves to know." He pleads with her. "Don't make me lie to him; everyone else has. Don't make this harder on anyone. He loves you."

Beth walks to him and puts her hand to his cheek. "And that's why we can't tell him." Josef leans into her hand, closes his eyes and nods.

XXX

Driving along the all too familiar road, Mick's thoughts turn, as always, to Beth and his suspicions. Knowing is torture. Knowing and having them deny it is even worse. It tears at his soul like talons leaving trails of pain across his undead heart. He hasn't fed properly in too long. He just wants to fade away. He's lost them both: his best friend – the person who helped him to at least partially accept himself and what he was; and his own guardian angel – his reason for living even before he'd met her. Their lies and betrayal too much for him to take.

He feels as if he wants to end it all.

Despite that betrayal and his anger toward them both, Josef is still his best friend and the person he trusts most and Beth is STILL his reason for living. Whatever their relationship is, he can't imagine being without either of them. Beth... he wants her more, despite her relationship with Josef. He wants to claim her; mark her as his own; convince her that she needs him as much as he needs her. Even as the thoughts enter his head, he's disgusted with himself for thinking them.

Finally, Mick arrives at his destination. Without knocking first or waiting to be announced, he storms into the house and into Josef's sunken office. The look on his face – determination, anger, pain – ensures that anyone in the building steer well clear of the two friends.

"Mick, there you are. I haven't heard from you for a couple of days. Actually, you don't look too good, buddy. Is everything – "

"Tell me what's going on!" In a flash he's in Josef's face. "Don't tell me lies! Not anymore!" Suddenly, Mick has Josef pinned on his desk, arm against his friend's throat. He watches Josef intently, waiting for the answer, not sure what he wants that answer to be, or if he really wants to know.

A million thoughts when through Josef's mind in those short moments. He can't bring himself to say anything. Torn and confused, he can't clear his head enough to figure out what is right...what is wrong. He had almost 400 years on Mick, during which his power had continued to increase, he'd honed his skills, grown tougher and more ruthless.

But in those years, he'd only truly cared about three people. And it had taken him 350 years and one feisty, stubborn redhead to find them. After he'd lost her, he'd always held out some hope, trying his hardest to bring her back to him, afraid that he'd lost his one chance to feel that. To be in love. To have someone he could truly let his walls down around. Soon after, he'd found Mick, the one true friend he'd had in his entire existence; and now that friend had him pinned to the wall, strong arm crushing his esophagus because he'd fallen in love with his girl.

Beth – God, Beth was everything to him. She was his light; she helped balance the man and the vampire; and he knew how rare a specimen she was. In all his years, he'd never met anyone like her and he knew now that everything that happened with Sara had happened for a reason. She'd made him in to the kind of person Beth could fall in love with and then she'd moved aside to let that happen.

But why did it have to be BETH? He could see how much just the thought of the two of them together was killing Mick. They were both scared that they would lose Mick from their lives by telling him the truth.

For the first time – EVER – Josef is at a loss; no idea what to do. He feels like he's being torn in half. Certain that no matter what he does he'll lose one of them. How does one choose between the two people you love more than life itself – your brother and your lover? The thought was unbearable. No matter what he does, Josef might lose one of them and it will kill him – but perhaps that is his punishment; perhaps he deserves that. He knows he can't choose between them, but he can choose for them. He knows which of them he needs to give into – who's life hung in the balance with his decision and who would be able to either forgive him or forget and move on.

Angered by Josef's silence, Mick turns and throws him against the opposite wall with a snarl. Josef has centuries of power on Mick, and Mick isn't at his best right now, having not taken care of himself properly in the last few days. Despite this, Josef slides to the floor and refuses to fight back or defend himself. His friend has every right to be angry – he deserves whatever Mick does to him for betraying their friendship by taking Beth and lying to him.

He sits there waiting for the second round to come. But Mick, emotionally and physically drained, turns his back to Josef and starts to walk away. Josef stands as Mick makes his way to the stairs, stopping with his hand on the handrail before heading upstairs to leave. He turns around.

"Please Josef, brother, just tell me. Are you in love with Beth? Are the two of you together?" Josef sees the pleading in his eyes for the truth, no matter what it is... and the pain is so clearly there.

Josef can't face him. He hates hurting Mick like this and he knows he is. He's never seen Mick so enraged, or so miserable – and that was saying a lot. Beth doesn't want Mick to know but Josef knows his friend better than she does. He knows the lies and deceit and not knowing are worse for him. He has to tell him. He hopes that by doing so he won't lose Mick and the best friendship he's had since becoming a vampire, if not his entire life. Despite that, he still struggles with himself – he will lose Mick, but at least Mick would be able to go on.

In spite of that, he still can't say the words to Mick. All he is able to manage is an almost indiscernible nod. But Mick sees it and without a word, he heads up the stairs and leaves. Even as he feels a weight lifted from his shoulder, Josef wonders if will ever see his friend again, and if Beth will forgive him…or if he has lost everything with that one small gesture.

XXX

The elevator dings and the doors open and Mick steps off and walks down the hallway to his flat. He senses her presence before his eyes finally land on her as she rises from the floor in front of his door. He pauses for a moment before finally walking towards her.

"Mick! Where have you been? I've been waiting here for you ever since, um, Josef…" She's suddenly unsure of herself, and she looks down at her feet.

"Yeah, well, I needed to take a drive and cool down a bit...sort some things out."

"Mick, I…I'm so sorry! Please don't be mad at Josef. It was ME who didn't want to tell you. Josef wanted to tell you all along but I insisted he didn't. I was so scared of losing you. But Mick, it's true Josef and I…care about each other. We didn't mean for it to happen, but it did. I just couldn't handle the thought of you walking out of my life." Mick looks at her as the words tumble from her lips and sees the fear – not that he will physically harm her but fear the he will turn her away.

"Do you love him?" Beth eyes shimmer with unshed tears as she imagines him walking away from her if she tells him the truth. But she can't lie again. Josef was right all along. She has to tell him the truth.

"Yes". Mick can't help the tears that flow now; feeling like a piece of him is being torn away. There's silence for a few long moments before he finally, quietly speaks; the words so unbelievable to her ears.

"I can't lose you either, Beth. I want to see you happy. That's what has kept me going all these years – making sure you were safe and happy. After we met at that fountain, I'd hoped for more, but I know you now. I know you need more than I can give you, and I know Josef can give that to you. He is a good choice for you." She takes another tentative step toward him feeling a small rush of relief beginning to go through her.

"So, are you saying we're okay?" He looks away for a moment.

"We will be. It will take some time. But I am glad that you are happy; that you're BOTH happy." She nods and pauses for a moment, then kisses his cheek quickly and walks toward the elevator. He watches her for a moment, and then heads into his flat with a quiet sigh.

A few weeks later, Mick is finally able to put it all behind him. Watching them together, when they are able to be open with their feelings, he can see how right they are for each other. They are both so happy and able to completely be themselves around each other and he knows letting them be together was the right thing for him to do. When they stop to speak quietly to each other for a moment, Mick gives a faint smile and takes that opportunity to step out, leaving them alone.

End


End file.
